Twenty One Pilots Review

In 2016, I saw Twenty One Pilots for the very first time. It was at BMO Harris Pavilion in Milwaukee, WI, a stop on the Emotional Roadshow Tour in support of their number one album, Blurryface. I often relate the experience to my first time at Disneyland; everything was creative, thrilling & perfect. 

In 2017, I moved to Los Angeles, but I still find myself returning to my home state to see my favorite band. I know it’s not Columbus, but there’s something special about seeing them in the Midwest. 

It was only fitting for me to return to Milwaukee to catch the start of their latest outing, in a venue that’s on the same Summerfest grounds as the first place I saw them. This time, in support of their second number one album, Breach. The lore is complete, in more ways than one.

The American Family Insurance Ampitheater was buzzing in anticipation well before Twenty One Pilots took the stage. So many fans sporting red and yellow tape arrived early just to celebrate with other fans (and wait in line for merch because those lines were looooong). 

Finally, at approximately 8:45 pm, when Tyler Joseph exploded off the piano during the opening song, “Overcompensate,” the energy in the room exploded, too. And that electricity increased the entire 2+ hour show.

I will never get over the power that this two-piece band commands over massive crowds. They do it all, and they have the whole audience in the palm of their hand. 

I go to a lot of concerts, and I haven’t seen another band spend as much time in the crowd as they do. And in all my times of seeing the duo, I have never seen them run around a venue so much. They’ve outdone themselves; I genuinely feel like they reached every section. 

It doesn’t matter where your seat is; you will have a connection with Twenty One Pilots, and it’s something that sets them apart.

I can imagine that it must be an impactful, tangible experience for Tyler and Josh, too. Rather than seeing a sea of dots from the stage, they step into the vast space to see the faces and feel the energy from different parts of the venue. 

The band was invigorated by the crowd. Tyler noticeably couldn’t stop smiling after hearing fans sing along to new songs, “Rawfear” and “Garbage.” He applauded Milwaukee multiple times during the show, saying it has one of the best music scenes and calling it one of his favorite places in the world. And maybe, just maybe, it is for me too.

This was a special show for a special tour and a special album. I am so glad I decided to make a trip back to the Midwest to catch it.